Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader

Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader

Overview

With the Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader, it’s easy to download photos and videos from your digital camera to your iPad or iPhone so you can view them on the gorgeous Retina display and share them with family and friends.

After you insert the SD card into the reader, your iPad or iPhone automatically opens the Photos app, which organises your photos into Moments, Collections and Years. And when you use iCloud Photo Library, all your full-resolution photos and videos are stored safely in iCloud and automatically added to the Photos app on all your devices. With iCloud Photo Sharing, you can share your photos and videos with just the people you choose.

The Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader supports standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW, along with SD and HD video formats, including H.264 and MPEG-4. It supports data transfer at up to USB 3 speeds on the 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and up to USB 2 speeds on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and all other iPad and iPhone models.*

Here's how to get your non-Camera image/video files to import properly

The product description warns that this device may only work for images and videos generated by a digital camera. It goes on to say that any random image/video
The product description warns that this device may only work for images and videos generated by a digital camera. It goes on to say that any random image/video you have on your computer may not import. That's true, but there's a way to fix it. Here's how:
1. Update iOS device to iOS9.2 or later.
2. Using your computer, create a folder called "DCIM" to the root of your SD card (or microSD).
3. Copy the images/videos into the DCIM folder.
4. Rename each image/video file like this "GOPRXXXX", where XXXX is a unique and incrementing number.
For example, if you had one JPG file and one .MOV file, name them GOPR0001.JPG and GOPR0002.MOV.
Incrementing numbers may not be required, but "GOPR" + 4 numeric characters are.
5. Safely eject SD card from computer, plug Reader into the iOS device, place SD card into the Reader, and Photos app should open. If you're file naming is acceptable, Import will remain open and allow you to view/import the files. Import and you're done!
Note #1: Other common digital-camera file naming conventions will most likely work.
Note #2: I've successfully imported several image filetypes: .jpg, .png, .raw. And these video types: .mov, .m4v, .MP4. I am sure many more will work. Also, you can have a mix of filetypes on the SD card simultaneously, and the import will work. For example, import will work with .jpg and .png and .m4v files on the card at the same time.
This reader itself deserves 4 or 5 stars. It worked for me with several microSDHC cards of various levels of quality, each using a different SD adapter. However, it's the Photos app I find problematic. The Photos->Import feature requires a strict file structure like the one given above. A file named wookie_wants_cookie.jpg won't import. Why can't it be intelligent enough to accept any filename?

Written by George H from Orlando

6-Jan-2016

469 of 534 people found this useful

Is this review useful?Here's how to get your non-Camera image/video files to import properly

5.0 out of 5 stars

Works great with iPhone 6s

I just bought this SD card reader to transfer the photos from my Nikon D3100 to my iPhone 6s and it works flawlessly. I was a bit apprehensive as most of the re
I just bought this SD card reader to transfer the photos from my Nikon D3100 to my iPhone 6s and it works flawlessly. I was a bit apprehensive as most of the reviews on Amazon about this product stated that it works only with the iPad. However I have tested the same and it does work with iPhone 6s.

Written by Irfan A from Santa Clara

15-Dec-2015

333 of 360 people found this useful

Is this review useful?Works great with iPhone 6s

3.0 out of 5 stars

Great device, pity about the software

This card reader works fast and reliably. I used it for many hundred photos on a recent cruise. But Photos import facility is so limited. The thumbnails are so
This card reader works fast and reliably. I used it for many hundred photos on a recent cruise. But Photos import facility is so limited. The thumbnails are so small you cannot see any blurring or other faults. You have to import all the photos first before you can see them full screen. Only then can you see any misfocus or other problems. But by then you have two copies, one on the iPad and one on the card. Yes I know you can delete all photos from the card after importing, but then you have only one copy of your photos on one device. And no serious photographer would tolerate that. On a cruise ship or elsewhere, backing up to iCloud is not an option. So the only option is to delete individually all the bad ones both from iPad and from the card now back in the camera and leave the good ones. This is a very slow, boring and error prone process, especially as Photos does not display even file names, let alone metadata.
What is needed is a facility to see the photos full screen BEFORE importing, with just 2 buttons, Import and Delete. New updated version PLEASE!

Written by Anthony S from Colchester

30-Mar-2016

271 of 296 people found this useful

Is this review useful?Great device, pity about the software

1.0 out of 5 stars

SD Card Reader

Starts loading and goes black after update. Custumer service said to reset DID NOT work. Will by another brand to load pictures and will not buy another IPhon
Starts loading and goes black after update. Custumer service said to reset DID NOT work. Will by another brand to load pictures and will not buy another IPhone or IPad. I know my few little bucks may not hurt apple BUT if enough people make the a customer statement we can.

Written by John P from DeQuincy

17-Feb-2018

Is this review useful?SD Card Reader

1.0 out of 5 stars

Buyer Beware

If you are a professional photographer and you were drawn to the reader because of all the "unbiased" reviews you saw online; think again. I bought this a few m
If you are a professional photographer and you were drawn to the reader because of all the "unbiased" reviews you saw online; think again. I bought this a few months ago and it has never worked completely. JPEGs will usually all get transferred to the iPad. However, if you are shooting RAW and hoping to import them to your iPad, and sync them with Lightroom mobile so you have a raw back up. It would be better to pass on the iPad and adapter and just get a laptop. Sometimes my RAW files never show up on the iPad and sometimes some of them show up. It is NOT A RELIABLE BACKUP. I have been on the phone with Apple support numerous times and I keep getting sent to "higher up" tech that can not offer a solution other than wipe your iPad clean and reinstall everything and see it that works... if not, we will address it in a future update. I will like I wasted $1000 on the iPad pro and another $29 for the adapter since I bought it specifically to backup and edit in the field.... Currently using a 2017 12inch iPad Pro with the 11.2.5 firmware update

Written by Matthew F from Glendale

13-Feb-2018

2 of 2 people found this useful

Is this review useful?Buyer Beware

1.0 out of 5 stars

DO NOT BUY

WHEN TRYING TO IMPORT ON IPAD SCREEN GOES BLACK AND YOU HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN. WHEN IT DOES IMPORT, THE PICTURES ARE CROPPED AND DISTORTED! RETURNING IT
WHEN TRYING TO IMPORT ON IPAD SCREEN GOES BLACK AND YOU HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN. WHEN IT DOES IMPORT, THE PICTURES ARE CROPPED AND DISTORTED! RETURNING IT NOW